When you are caught up in the excitement of buying a house, it can be difficult to stay on top of all the things you have to take care of. There are many small things that will make all the difference in the home buying process and remembering to take care of it will make your life a lot easier. Here are a few of the most important things you should do before closing on your new house!

Get Your Mortgage Approval

Most home buyers know that they need preapproval to start the mortgage process, but many forget that you need to get final approval for your mortgage as well. Depending on how long the process has taken, you may need to resubmit financial documentation. It is important that you stay on top of communication with your lender so that you can give them anything they need and help to get the final mortgage approval as easily and efficiently as possible.

Negotiate Closing Costs

There are always closing costs involved in buying a home but figuring out who pays what can be a bit of a challenge. Taking the time to negotiate the closing costs can save you money and make the process much easier. Your real estate agent should be able to help you negotiate a deal that makes sense for you and the situation of the sale. The more information you have before the negotiation begins, the better your position will be in the negotiation process. It is always worthwhile to negotiate over the closing costs since it can save you money and effort.

Clear the Title

You can’t close on a home without making sure that the title is clear. Sometimes there are issues on the title that are easy to resolve, but whatever issues may exist, it is important to resolve them so that the sale can go through without issues. When the title on the property isn’t clear, someone else has a claim on the property and that can raise issues at the closing or even down the line. By clearing the title you ensure that there aren’t any claims on it and that you won’t have to deal with those kinds of problems after the house is rightfully yours.

Get an Inspection

You may be tempted to skip the inspection to save money, but in the long run this is generally a bad idea. The inspector can uncover issues with the home that could give you leverage for negotiation or be a danger if they weren’t discovered. An inspection can find inefficiencies in the HVAC system, which can lead to a higher electric bill. The inspector will also let you know of any problems with the roof and major systems of the house. The more you know about the state of your new home, the better prepared you will be for your future in your house.

Negotiate Points on the Inspection

Once you have had an inspection, you are in a better position to do strong negotiation. If there are any issues with the property, you can get an estimate for the repair costs and use those to negotiate what you will pay for the home or get the seller to cover some of the closing costs. You may also negotiate to have the seller take care of the repairs before you close on the house. Whatever you decide, it is in your best interests to bring all the necessary repairs to the negotiation table so you have as much leverage as possible

Do a Final Walkthrough

Pretty soon before closing it is a good idea to take the time to make a final walk through of the property. This is a necessary step but also a lot of fun since it gives you a chance to imagine yourself in the space and get excited about your future home. Give yourself plenty of time between the walkthrough and the closing so that the seller can take care of any issues that may come up. As you are walking through, make sure to check any repairs that were supposed to be done. If there were any pieces of furniture or fixtures that were negotiated into the sale, make sure that they are still present. The final walkthrough gives you the chance to address any issues there may be.

Purchase Home Insurance

If you are purchasing your home with a mortgage, you need to get home insurance. This will protect you if something is to happen to the house whether it be a robbery or a natural disaster. It will also provide the mortgage company with added security that their investment is covered in case of a major problem. In most cases, you will not be able to close on the house without insurance in place, so make sure that you take care of this as soon as you can.

Clear Your Calendar

Moving into a new place can take quite a while, so it is worthwhile to schedule a little bit of time off so that you can more easily take care of the moving process. Give yourself a little more time than you think you need so that you can pace yourself and take breaks as necessary. You should be able to enjoy your move as much as possible and having a break will help to make the process more enjoyable for everyone. Don’t forget to take time to celebrate your move with a great meal or a small party and get help from loved ones to make the process go a little bit more quickly. 

Buying a home is an incredibly exciting experience and it can be a lot of fun if you are careful and thoughtful beforehand. The more prepared you are for the closing, the less bumps there will be on the road and the better your experience will be. Once you have closed, make sure to enjoy your new home and take time to make it a place where you love to be.

Looking to buy a new home? Let us help!